Life
When looking down in the shower, you might notice that your breasts have a very particular look that is all yours. They could be small, medium, large, or extra large. They could have areola that cover almost the entire boob and nipples that stick out, or they could have bumpy, short areola with inverted nipples. But before you start to analyze every chest you see, however, you should know that there are many ways every set of boobs is different.
The lingerie brand ThirdLove recently released helpful drawings that reveal women actually have nine different types of boobs. The brand created these illustrations in order to help women figure out their own boob category, and hopefully find just the right bra. But recognizing that all breasts are different is about more than just realizing that there are different shapes for those mammary glands.
Just as there are ways that every vagina is different, boobs are different too. I'm reminded of that every time I walk outside in the summer and see an assortment of women wearing breast-bearing dresses and tops. Whether they're meant to be shown off or are a little more subdued, here are eight ways that your boobs might be different from your bestie's and that's totally okay.
1
The Size And Shape
According to the Daily Mail, the nine different shapes that your boobs can be include athletic (muscular with less tissue), round (full on the top and the bottom), and East West (fuller but still fall outward). Of course, breasts can also come in different sizes: small, big, and everything in between. Take comfort in the fact that they probably look different than everyone else's.
2
The Nipples
According to Seventeen, there are eight different types of nipples. If you've ever looked around in the gym changing room and wondered why one woman's nipples stick out more than yours, or why another woman's nipples are a different shape, now you know.
3
The "Realness"
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, breast augmentations rose by 37 percent from 2000 to 2016. Meanwhile, breast lifts increased by 92 percent and breast augmentation with fat grafting grew by 26 percent from 2015 to 2016 alone. In fact, breast augmentation is one of the top five reported procedures. Although there are many reasons that women get breast implants, it's one of the reasons that all boobs are ultimately different.
4
The Hair Factor
According to the previously mentioned Seventeen article, it's normal to have stray, dark hairs growing out of the areola area. The hair could be fine or coarse, so don't be surprised if this is you. The truth is that every woman has hair follicles, but some are simply hairier than others. And in case you're wondering, it's safe to pluck them out with tweezers.
5
The Space Between
Some women have naturally classic cleavage, while others need a push up bra to achieve this look. This is because, depending on the size and shape of your breasts, there may be a wide space between breasts. If the breasts are larger, they might even be prone to spilling out of the side of a bra.
6
The Areola
Areolae come in all different sizes and colors, according to the aforementioned Seventeen article. It's also not uncommon to have bumps on the area surrounding the nipple. The bumps are called Montgomery glands and sometimes can look like whiteheads, according to SELF. Every woman actually has them, but some people have them bumpier than others.
7
The Match Factor
If you have or have ever seen asymmetrical boobs, don't be scared. According to the Daily Mail article, almost all women have one breast that is larder than the other to some degree. In fact, lopsided boobs are no big deal (except when it comes to bra shopping). Not only can boobs themselves be a different size, but nipples can look different too. This is called unilaterally inverted, meaning that one nipple is raised and the other is inverted, according to the aforementioned Seventeen article. Think of it like an innie and an outie, but together.
8
The Third Nipple
You might remember Chandler Bing from Friends with his "nubbin", but having a third nipple is actually called supernumerary. Typically, these are either small, flat mole-like bumps or full-formed, raised bumps. They can happen to both men and women, and are certainly nothing to worry about. They're just another reason why every set of boobs is different.
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